MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

12/5 Counsell trying to decide re: coaching

Craig Counsell’s agent said the veteran infielder remains undecided about his plan for 2012. At 41, will Counsell return for a 17th Major League season? Or will he begin a new career in th coaching ranks? Agent Barry Meister confirmed that Counsell has spoken with new Cubs manager Dale Sveum but could not say whether the Cubs had a standing offer to join Sveum’s coaching staff. Counsell had a tough year in 2011, batting .178 in 187 plate appearances.

The Cubs have not formally named their coaching staff, but Rudy Jaramillo, Pat Listach and Lester Strode will be back and Chris Bosio will take over as pitching coach with Jamie Quirk as bench coach.

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